Managing God’$ Money: “Whose is it?” Matthew 25:14-30

INTRO> My freshman year of high school I remember being in Mr. Bradley’s social studies class and he held up a $20 bill. He asked, “Why is this worth what it says it’s worth?” We tried to answer, gold standard etc. Then we learned basically because the government says so. Do you know what’s heart breaking as I think back about that story?….. I didn’t learn it in Church… from a biblical world view… but from a worldly stand point… Then I remember hearing about money in church… “It’s a 90-10 split with God and your money. God wants 10% and you can keep 90%

• • • • • • Prosperity Theology (Wrong)
          • Poverty Theology (Wrong)

APP> Why aren’t we talking about money correctly in the church?

• • • 2,500 + bible verses speak directly about money
    • 1 out of every 10 NT verses is about money.
    • 16 out of 30 Jesus parables are about money
    • 25% of Jesus total teaching is about money.

RESOURCES> We want to help you with his and this is how:

• • • Bible Reading Plan and Highlighter
    • “Managing God’s money” Randy Alcorn
    • “Redeeming Money” By Paul David Tripp
    • Dave Ramsey Financial Peace

APP> So why is this such a big deal, why does the Bible talk about this so much? Why are we spending time on this as a church?

• • • “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21

Big Idea> What we believe about the gospel is revealed in how we behave with money.

CONTEXT> So today, we address our first topic and the issue of money, this topic sets the foundation for everything else. Before we get to budgets and everything we ask, “Whose is it?” In this parable in Matthew 25, Jesus tells a story a story about with a point. They key to understand is actually found in v3, “As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Then Jesus describes what it will be like , then tells two parables. The first one about the Ten virgins is about WAITING… the second one is about WORKING with the talents. So we have to do some work to understand this parable and context:

• • • The Master = Jesus
    • Talents = means weight 25lbs? (PIC) a lot of money!
    • Two servants = faithful and rewarded
    • One servant = faithful and punished

1. God’s the owner.

• • • • “master” is used 9x in these verses. It’s actually the greek word “kyrios” which is better translated LORD.
      • v14 “his property” v18 “his masters money” v27 “my money” I mean… could Jesus be any clearer?!

APP> Jesus is making a point here and it would do us well to stop and process it.

• • • • • “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26
        • “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.  know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.” Psalm 50:10-12
        • “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts.” Haggia 2:8
        • “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth…” Deuteronomy 10:14
        • “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

*ILL> Abraham Kuyper was a theologian and scholar and the Prime minster of the Netherlands in the early 1900’s he gave a dedication speech at a school and thundered a line that still echoes today… “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

APP> “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 *ILL> Indiana Jones, the idol. APP> Repentance happens when you remove a lesser love and replace it with a greater love.

2) I’m the steward.

• • • • “ who called his servants.” the actual word there is slave. I like that better because it offends us even more.
      • “entrusted” the word literally means permission, that the master allowed them to watch his money.

APP> That’s who we are in the story… we are one of the 3 slaves.  That means what… I can’t do whatever I want with it…

*John Wesley along with his brother was the founder of Methodism, he was a very disciplined man… and when it came to money, he wrote down in his journal 4 questions to ask himself when using his money or making a purchase:

• In spending this money, am I acting as if I owned it, or am I acting as the Lord’s trustee?
• What Scripture requires me to spend this money in this way?
• Can I offer up this purchase as a sacrifice to the Lord?
• Will God reward me for this expenditure at the resurrection of the just? 

APP> How would your life change if you asked yourself these 4 questions every day?

• • • • “Master I knew you to be a hard man…” This dude trie to wax eloquent and Jesus shuts it down fast… why?

APP> If he really believed what he said… he would have behaved differently…

APP> An owner has rights and a steward has responsibilities.

Big Idea> What we believe about the gospel is revealed in how we behave with money.

Close> Ill never forget when we sold our first home. We had to go to the title company and transfer over… what? The deed of ownership.

*Deed of Ownership Title today as you leave.